Longford Town  0 - 2  Waterford United

Waterford United proved too strong for Longford Town at Flancare Park tonight, as they took the required, but vital, three points on offer with relative comfort. Two goals from on-fire striker Willie John Kiely sealed the win, but they capped a solid team performance that puts United one step closer to the play-offs. Stephen Henderson made two chances to last week’s starting line-up, one enforced as Paul Carey came in for his suspended namesake Alan at right back, and one tactical as Paul Murphy was preferred to Vinny Sullivan up front.

And with the game barely two minutes old that switch paid dividends as the Blues took the lead. Liam Kearney fed Murphy from the left, and he split the defence with a superb ball that Kiely lifted over the advancing Stephen Conlon for his 16th league goal. Minutes later Murphy almost set up a second, taking John Kearney’s quick free kick and sending in a low cross that a despairing Longford toe nicked away from the lurking Kevin Murray.

As the half wore on though, the game lost a little bit of fizz, and a 25-yard Murphy snap-shop that flew just past the post on 30 minutes wasn’t enough to liven the visitors. In fact, it was the home side that were getting more into the game, albeit without much real threat, with Lee Roche and Craig Walsh both testing Kevin Burns from distance. Then, moments from the half time whistle, United had a real scare when Jason Oladele’s shot was blocked right into the path of Roche, the surprised striker snatching his effort wildly wide with Burns wrong-footed. Still, it was the Blues who went into the break the better side, and deservedly in front.

Longford continued where they’d left off though, and took a grip of the game right from the restart, with Craig Walsh in particular very influential in the middle of midfield. But, after ten minutes spent somewhat on the back foot, the Blues fashioned an excellent second goal, and again it was all the work of the strike partners, Paul Murphy sending in a sweet cross from the right that Willie John Kiely met at the near post, getting in ahead of Stephen Conlon with a crisp header through the ‘keeper’s arms.

The Town responded well, and Don Cowan went close with an effort which took a slight deflection over the top on 62 minutes, and the same player again forced a smart save from Kevin Burns four minutes later, with Jason Oladele blazing the rebound well over the top. In between, the visitors could have stretched their lead further, as Murphy swung in a wicked free kick, John Kearney and Kevin Murray both getting touches on the ball only to see it spin beyond the far post with Conlon stranded. At the other end, Walsh went close on 75 minutes with a superb volley from distance which brought a wonderful save from Burns, tipping the ball left handed around the base of his post at full stretch.

Conlon was brought into action shortly afterwards, reacting smartly to grasp an effort that looked destined for the top corner, and almost immediately Burns matched his counterpart, getting down smartly to turn the ball round the post for a corner. As the game headed into injury time Vinny Sullivan looked to get himself on the scoresheet for the third game running, almost making room for a shot through three defenders, only for a deflection to take it the wrong side of the post. But it mattered little as the Blues comfortably saw out a good night’s work. In fact, bar two spells in the first half and the first ten minutes of the second, the Suirsiders were never really troubled, Kevin Burns having to make just the one outstanding save (and a handful of makeable ones). So two games of the targetted four down, and two wins, and United can look forward to the visit of Athlone Town next weekend.

Longford: Stephen Conlon; Chris Deans (Craig Mooney 77), Thomas Hyland, John Lester, Michael Lee (Kevin Cronin 81); Mark Salmon, Cathal Brady, Craig Walsh, Jason Oladele; Lee Roche (David Freeman 57), Don Cowan – subs: Victor Ekanem, Peter Hynes

Booked: Cowan, Mooney

Waterford: Kevin Burns; Paul Carey, Seamus Long, Kevin Murray, Michael Coady; Timmy Purcell (Paul Walsh 64), Gary Dunphy (Shane Barrett 76), John Kearney, Liam Kearney; Willie John Kiely, Paul Murphy (Vinny Sullivan 76) - subs: Chris Konopka, Kevin Waters

Goals: Kiely 2, 56

Booked: L Kearney, Sullivan

Referee: Jim McKell